Authors: Glen Robinson
As the sun rose in the east behind us, we flew over the coastal mountains and I had my first ever view of the Pacific Ocean. The morning light shone on a spectacle that I had never expected to see: the entire Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy.
From left to right, as far as I could see was a massive armada of ships. And right in the middle of the fleet was the largest aircraft carrier I had ever seen.
Madrigal got on the radio and called ahead. A minute later, we were setting down the helicopter on the flight deck. As I unfastened my seat belt, I looked up to see the tower above. The words “U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln” had been crossed out with white paint. In its place was scrawled: “U.S.S. Second Coming.”
As Madrigal shut the engines down, I saw a crowd of men and women in uniform running up to greet us. I crawled back over the seats into the rear compartment. Hopeful was barking joyfully, leaping around as if he were a puppy again. Ellie was all smiles, the first time I had seen her smile since we had been reunited. And even Reba had a wistful smile on her face.
“He would have been happy, you know,” I said to her. “Just knowing you were safe, he would have been happy.”
She smiled, tears coming to her eyes.
We turned and opened the doors, and were immediately awash with well wishers. Everyone seemed to know who we were, even though we didn’t have a clue as to who they were. I took a step outside and was immediately pulled out by the crowd. They cheered and slapped me on the back.
“Thank you,” I said. “Thank you all for your—.” My words caught in my throat as I saw a familiar young man, around 30, staring back at me. He was dressed in a flight suit. He had a scar on one cheek and a big grin on his face. He pushed his way through the crowd and gathered me up in his arms. We kissed for what seemed like forever, but yet not long enough.
“Evangelist,” I breathed.
“It’s just Edward, now,” he said. “I’m out of the Secret Service.”
“Hey Cuz,” I heard Madrigal say loudly behind me. “See, I got her here safe and sound, just like I promised.” Edward pulled away and slapped Madrigal’s hand high in the air.
“That you did,” Edward said. “Listen, I have someone who wants to meet both of you.”
Edward led us through the crowd and across the flight deck to a smaller knot of people. Most of the men wore the uniforms of flag-ranked officers, admirals and captains and such. But one man, an older, weathered man who I knew very well, wore a simple windbreaker and slacks.
“Father!” I said. I let go of Edward and ran to him. He held out his arms and took me into his embrace.
“Forgive me,” he said. “I should have come for you sooner. But there was so much to be done.”
“There’s nothing to forgive,” I said. “You’re here, and I’m here, and that’s all that matters.”
I looked into his face. It was the face of a man who had carried the sorrows and worries of an entire country—an entire world—on his shoulders. When the United States government had all but been lost, when city after city had been destroyed, when every possible way of defending ourselves was taken from us, he had continued to pull Americans together to fight for what they believed in. I was proud to be called his daughter.
“You’re not the same girl I knew four years ago,” he said to me.
I smiled. “No, I’m not. A lot has changed.”
“What’s important never changes,” he said.
And as I looked around us—standing on the deck of a massive aircraft carrier, surrounded by soldiers and sailors who had come to take our country back—I knew that he was right.
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